


All Dolled Up

by CheckYourLie (svnwritten)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Dolls, Haunted Houses, Horror, I was aiming for scary and this happened, M/M, creeps and boos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2021-01-04 22:08:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21204857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/svnwritten/pseuds/CheckYourLie
Summary: How was that he had never known his grandparents had a room full of dolls in their countryside house?





	All Dolled Up

**Author's Note:**

> Horror#: C37  
Title: All Dolled Up  
Pairing: CBX  
Rating: Teen and Up Audiences  
TW: major character death-not-death, creepy dolls
> 
> Dear prompter: I feel like this is not what you wanted but my love for dolls was too strong to resist the temptation

_His mother used to say that his grandparents' house was a place where he could seek a refugee no matter what. He had never forgotten that._

Baekhyun needed a rest from the twisted world that was his life over the past years. He spent too much time on playing games with people without names and faces. At the beginning it was thrilling - the rush of blood, the adrenaline buzzing in his veins… Now though, he was both emotionally and physically drained. Now, he was back at being a human - not another machine caught in the middle of a warzone. 

The yard was empty when he stepped out of the car. The windows were shut closed. The garden that lasted in his memory in its glory - full of flowers and round, sweet strawberries - was dried to dust. The house looked nothing like Baekhyun remembered it. Baekhyun was nothing this house remembered him too.

Clenching a bag in his hand, he opened the front door. It creaked harshly, sending a shiver down Baekhyun’s spine. It had been a while since somebody opened this door. 

The house had been standing empty for years, after all.

The scent of naphthalene, dust and old wooden floor tackled Baekhyun’s nose. The only thing that was missing was the faint smell of his grandmother’s pie. He felt his lips twitch up in a genuine smile. He missed her deeply. Her smile, her voice, the way she cooed at his shenanigans. 

Sighing, Baekhyun put the bag on the floor. The silence was truly overwhelming. He was probably the only person in the range of a few kilometers. It made his heart shrink a little bit. In his memories, this place had always been full of life and people. Now - it was just Baekhyun and his thoughts. 

“First to go - kitchen” Baekhyun announced out loud, already opening the right door.

The time stopped there. He turned the tap which rewarded him with a faint stream of cold, rusty water. Frowning Baekhyun stepped aside, letting the water flow. He preferred to live in a house with a clear water. 

Resigned, Baekhyun flipped the light switch on the wall. He held his breath when the lamp above his head flickered a couple of times. Finally after a while, the kitchen filled with faint yellow light. Baekhyun sighed with relief. 

“Okay, so it’s not that bad…” Baekhyun hummed quietly, turning off the tap.

Despite the cracked paint on the walls and old stains on the table, everything here looked cozy, oddly domestic and strangely normal. It was like Baekhyun didn’t belong here anymore. Not with his four backup phones, not with his three laptops, definitely not with his hacker’s reputation. 

Well, either this place would bound to his energy or he would end up living hated by his own home.

Baekhyun gulped nervously. Now, that the water was turned off, everything seemed even more silent than before. Earlier it didn’t even occur to him how big the house was.

The first floor was something he remembered vividly. The kitchen, the bathroom, the long hall with an old sofa, the huge living room and a patio where his family used to spend time when he was a kid. Everything looked almost the way he recalled it. Almost. The colors on the paintings were fading, the sofa was a little bit more creaky, the windows were weirdly grey, the books were covered with a heavy layer of dust and he didn’t even try to touch the dried flowers in the vase. 

_ creeeak _

Baekhyun shreaked. 

“What the hell...?” he muttered, padding back into the hall where he left his bag. Did he leave the door opened or-

As soon as he stepped into the hallway, the house creaked again and this time it was clear that the sound was coming from upstairs. Baekhyun gulped loudly. Old house he could deal with but another criminal hiding inside said house? That would be too much for him.

There was no way he overheard, right? No, he was sure that he heard a loud creak coming from upstairs. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Baekhyun hesitantly stepped towards.

The staircase was empty. Not a fly, not even a shadow stained the thick carpet of dust. 

“This is straight up from a horror movie,” Baekhyun breathed heavily, involuntary clenching the phone in his pocket. The device offered the tiniest bit of comfort. “Okay. Okay!” he repeated a little bit louder this time to muster up some courage, “I’m going upstairs. I’m going upstairs!”

Taking a deep breath, Baekhyun carefully put his feet on the first step. He could feel his shoe leaving a footprint in the dust. That was a good sign, right? If someone really was upstairs, there would be a footprints on the floor. And there was none, right? Right.

“It’s just an old house, Byun Baekhyun.” Baekhyun chided himself out loud, “Of course it creaks sometimes, you idiot.”

His footsteps resonated through the house, making him feel even more lonely. He pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to one of his friends. He didn’t expect them to reply soon but it was comforting to know that someone out there would know that Baekhyun’s still alive.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he arrived on the second floor. The corridor was wide and full of light. All doors leading to bedrooms were closed, waiting to be opened to reveal their secrets. Baekhyun could still tell which room he used to sleep in. Deeming it for the safest place to start, he pushed the door.

The room looked just like he left it - the bed in the corner, a night table, bookshelves with books he used to read as a child and drawers full of his toys. Experimentally he opened one of them and smiled as soon as he saw it contents. His grandmother apparently didn't have the heart to throw away his old plastic soldiers.

One by one, Baekhyun opened doors after doors. In some rooms he stayed a bit longer to check all the drawers and wardrobes, in others - he barely glanced inside. None of the rooms showed signs of unwanted guests which made Baekhyun relieved. 

"Of course that old houses make noises," he explained again.

At the end - there was only one last room left to check. It used to belong to his grandmother before she died and in Baekhyun’s memory it always smelt of sweets. His hand lingered on the door handle. It seemed almost like an invasion - walking inside without her explicit permission. 

The door creaked as he opened them, sound oddly similar to the one he heard before. Tentatively, Baekhyun slipped inside, grasping his phone like a sword.

Deep down, maybe he expected something to happen. A loud clash, a startling wheeze, a whisper telling him to turn back. But none of these happened. Baekhyun let out the breath he was holding. It was just another room.

_ Just another room. _

Pushing dark thoughts away, Baekhyun started the standard procedure of checking the room. He found some pillows and bedsheets and though it was clear that their prime passed a long time ago, he still decided to use them today. Freezing in the middle of the night wasn’t his plan.

Suddenly something drew his attention. Frowning, Baekhyun put down the pillows and stepped closer to the wall.

Well, he didn’t remember that _ this _ room to be connected to _ another _one. 

“It’s probably a storage room or something anyway…” muttered Baekhyun under his breath and he was almost about to turn and walk away but something in his gut told him to check it.

The door opened smoothly under his touch, as it was waiting for Baekhyun to push it.

What he saw on the other side, made his breath hitch.

“Well this is certainly not a storage room…” Baekhyun frowned and stepped inside.

Dolls. A lot of dolls. Standing in neat rows, put on the shelves and hidden behind a thick glass. Dolls. 

There’s never a good time to find out about a hidden room full of dolls in a very old house. Baekhyun shivered.

“Well, this is creepy.” he commented.

One step. Two steps. Three steps and suddenly he was standing in the middle of the room, surrounded with porcelain faces and round, glassy eyes. Empty, dead, hollow. Dolls’ eyes. None of them was dusted like books in the living room.

"Like hell, I don't remember this room at all…" he had to admit it - these dolls gave him creeps. Once again, Baekhyun looked around, his eyes sliding over every doll. The longer he studied them, the more human-like they seemed. 

He was about to reach out and open one of the glass goblets, when suddenly something creaked behind his back. The sound was faint, barely there, but it was enough for Baekhyun to jump with a loud yelp. He frantically looked around, scanning the room with wilde eyes.

"Who's that? Anyone in there?" The silence that met his questions was overwhelming. "Who's that?" He repeated, shakingly. 

To his utter, and unpleasant, surprise the creaking sound vibrated through the room again and this time it was as if Baekhyun could feel it on his skin. The noise was raw and ancient, resurfacing all the hidden fears from his childhood nightmares. Baekhyun spun on his heel, slowly backing away from the room.

“Who’s in here?” he repeated, voice weaker this time. Much weaker.

His hand absently reached out to lean against something, to ground him, to make him feel secure. The wall under his fingers seemed to pulsate with life. Blood was bubbling in his veins and if he didn’t know better he would say that the house itself had its heartbeat that Baekhyun could feel through the pink paint of this room.

He backed out of the room slowly, his eyes never leaving the closed shelves with dolls. Maybe because he was so focused solely on that, he didn’t even notice that the floor in the dollroom was speckless. Not even a grain of dust.

The night fell upon the household faster than Baekhyun anticipated. His heart was still pounding in his chest when he turned on the lamps. For the past ten years he used to live in the city that never sleeps, now he was in the middle of nowhere, having only a loud owl outside as his companion. Owl and the memory of creaking behind his back. He was not_ that _much of a coward but he still locked himself in his old bedroom. He also locked his grandmother’s room earlier. Just in case. 

The mattress squeaked under Baekhyun weight.

“Rude,” Baekhyun mouthed at the bed.

The screen on his phone lit up. It was barely midnight. Baekhyun sighed. If he was to stay here for longer, he had to find a hobby.Something to stop him from exploring the house. Something to keep him occupied throughout the day and tire him to the point where he would fall asleep as soon as the sun disappeared behind the line of horizon. 

He wanted to make a list but his eyes were heavy and his breath was slowly evening out. He couldn’t possibly see the shadows that were dancing on the walls. He could face them when they confidently leaned over his bed and watched him sleep.

It must had been a middle of a night when Baekhyun suddenly woke up feeling all cold and in presence of something. His body filled with dread. Certainly - Baekhyun was not alone. The unfamiliar presence in the room was too terrifying to make him even twitch. He didn’t dare to open his eyes. He could feel the other soul almost as vividly as the woolen blanket covering his legs. Someone was _ here _ , in _ this _ room, _ with _ him. He tried to keep his breath even as if he was still asleep but his tense body and his pounding heart were probably betraying him anyway.

He didn’t hear the footsteps but he could feel them with every inch of his skin. The person was moving closer, the distance between them was growing smaller and smaller. Baekhyun tried to calculate how long would it take for him to grab his phone and call the police before the intruder cut his throat. The perspectives didn’t look good.

Suddenly, everything stilled. Movement ceased. Baekhyun could practically locate That Person - standing by the legs of his bed. It was when he felt the slightest of touches on his covered with a thick blanket calf, did Baekhyun yelp in surprise, jerking up. His eyes opened automatically and he was almost braced to face the devil but…

The room was empty and the door - locked, just as Baekhyun left it.

* * *

The following morning was uneventful. Still shaken after the night, Baekhyun decided that going to the town nearby was a good opportunity to take a break and buy the necessities. With a short list in his pocket, very pleased with his own capability, Baekhyun went straight to his car, leaving the house - at least temporarily - unattended.

The shadows slipped off the walls and the place filled with their whispers. No footprints were left on the dusty corridors as they didn’t step anywhere but the dollroom. What the shadows talked about - remained a mystery. Where did they hide afterwards was their greatest secret. 

While the world outside was boisterous and full of colors, the house itself was calm and utterly peaceful. Yesterday Baekhyun was slightly intimidated with that. Today - it was refreshing.

The thing that he experienced during the night must have been an effect of stress. That's all that was. It must have been. 

Humming, Baekhyun stepped into the kitchen with the bags full of food. He put the groceries on the table and clicked. Now that the first impression started to wear off, his critical eye noticed first details that needed some improvement. 

Baekhyun opened the old fridge standing in the corner.

“Well, aren’t you a little bit dirty?” he asked lowly, eyeing the inside.

Somewhere at the back of the house the window slammed against the window frame. 

* * *

Living in his grandparents’ house was… Strange. Everything was different, unknown. Every room was full of surprises, not to mention that taking care of them left him pretty handful. His first attempt of cleaning up the garden was a disaster - handbook about the gardening that he bought online wasn’t much of a help. The first time electricity failed also left him shocked. The color of the water seemed to depend mainly on its mood. 

Relying upon things that weren’t certain was definitely something Baekhyun was trying to get used to.

“I certainly could live without that blister on my hand though…” Baekhyun heaved, sitting on the ground. Today he was planting carrots. Or was that parsley… Whatever that was - it was a plant.

“It’s not like it matters anyway.” he concluded, taking a sip of water. 

Baekhyun tipped his head backwards, letting his face soak in the pleasant warmth. The sunrays felt amazing on his skin and frankly he was slowly starting to daze off. He promised himself to rebuild his grandma’s garden and he was determined to achieve his goal. The thing was that no one told him how much effort it requires. It was relaxing though - having something to focus on, something to do, something to work with.

Suddenly a shiver ran down his spine, followed by the oddest impression that he was being watched. He blinked his eyes opened and in a slow motion, looked over his shoulder at the house behind him. His breath caught in his throat and he gripped his bottle a little bit harder.

It wasn’t an impression.

He was_ being _watched.

Someone was standing in the window of his grandmother's room. 

Baekhyun sprinted to the house, heavy footsteps shaking the stairs and his loud panting echoing down the corridors. Hestily, he swung open the door leading to the room.

It was completely empty.

Back then, it didn’t occur to him that he hadn’t left the door to the dolls’ room opened. Maybe if he walked inside he would see that one of the dolls was missing.

* * *

“_ Dear diary, it’s been 3 weeks- _” 

Baekhyun didn’t _ feel _ like he didn’t put the cushions on the sofa. God damn it! He _ knew _ that he didn’t put the cushions on the sofa. They were ugly and dusty and smelt of somehow moisty and Baekhyun even considered throwing them away.

Well, today they didn’t look ugly and old and stinky. They looked brand new. And they were neatly laying on the sofa.

Astonished, Baekhyun crossed the room, grabbed one of the cushions and sniffed it. Great. Not only did it look nice and refreshed but also smelt good.

“When are you going to stop playing this game?” groaned Baekhyun out loud. He knew that someone was behind him. There was no chance that he could be mistaken. He recognized that thrill, the cold breath on his neck. After days spent of loneliness, he was over-sensitive for any form of contact. 

But, of course, as soon as Baekhyun turned around - the intruding presence slipped out of the room, fading into thin air.

“I’m crazy,” announced Baekhyun, a few hours later. “I must be going crazy. Either that or the house is haunted.” he laughed bitterly, taking a sip of his beer.

Neither of those thoughts seemed entertaining to him. He was stuck in here, completely alone and with nowhere to go. He took another sip and pulled a face. He never liked this shit.

Maybe Baekhyun wouldn’t be on the edge if it wasn’t for the constant presence around him. It’s been a while since he_ thought _ he saw someone standing in the window. Every since then he was _ watched _ all the time. Something or someone was in this house with him. Close enough for Baekhyun to feel it but far enough to hide when needed. It wasn’t funny. Sometimes, with the corner of his eye, Baekhyun could see a blurry silhouette, occasionally - a shadow. But it was nothing specific - just a whirl of nameless colours.

Therefore - the conclusion: Byun Baekhyun at the age of 27 years old was going crazy.

“Shit,” he hissed at the fresh flowers standing in the vase. He didn’t remember changing them. On the contrary - he recalled - this morning he said that old flowers give this place spooky energy. So he left them be.

With a difficulty, Baekhyun raised up from the sofa. He was almost sure that he didn’t have enough alcohol in his system to feel dizzy. He blurped.

“God, I’m disgusting.” 

The stairs ahead of him suddenly looked much bigger than he remembered them to be. Bracing on the railing, Baekhyun stepped on the first step. It wailed. It _ freaking _wailed.

“Oh, my god this is terrible,” he moaned pathetically. “Little shit, you won’t even help me, will you?” he slurred, taking another step up. He could have sworn that he heard a giggle somewhere deep inside the house.

* * *

It was the 30th night since Baekhyun had arrived at the house. He didn’t feel fear anymore. By now, he was used to the loud creaking, fresh flowers every morning and the presence of another being creeping behind the corner. 

It was the middle of the night, when his dreams suddenly melted under the pressure of foggy and uncertain reality. Baekhyun snuggled his face into the pillow._ It was still too early to get up. _

Something was drumming against his window, forcing a tiny growl out of Baekhyun throat.

_ It was raining. _ Of course, it was _ fucking _ raining and he forgot to close the _ damned _ windows. Sleepily, Baekhyun rubbed his eyelids and opened his heavy with dreams eyes.

Room. His room. The bookshelf decorated with a row of plastic cars. The wardrobe in the corner. The man standing next to his bed. The opened suitcase in the middle. The-

_ wait _

Baekhyun’s jaw dropped and his eyes widened widely.

“Holy fuck,” he uttered hoarsely, staring at the person in front of him. Though it was questionable if calling him “a person” as in “a human” was appropriate… Everything about him was normal - dark clothes, dark hair, the way he was standing... It was his eyes - shining and wide that made him look like an angel, a statue, a- “Holy fuck.” 

They stared at each other for a long, tormentous second, during which Baekhyun tried to come up with anything more cohorrent. 

_ one second-two seconds-three-seconds _

“Ekhem,” _ He could talk! _ “Don’t mind me, I’m just closing the windows. Go back to sleep.” the man whispered, shyly smiling at Baekhyun. The curl of his lips made him look like a kitten. Baekhyun mesmerized watched him reaching over the frame of the bed and pulling the window curtain.

“Holy fuck, you touch things.” uttered Baekhyun and suddenly he was alone.

Everything that was left was the cold air next to Baekhyun’s hand, the hammering heart inside his chest and that one thought.

It wasn’t the same person that Baekhyun saw in the window.

* * *

The major concern that Baekhyun had was that he had no idea how to come across as “welcoming” and not “freaked out”. Because apparently his “holy fuck” was taken as a bad omen. It had been a week since Baekhyun saw the spirit (a spirit? A ghost? A what?) and ever since then he could feel the presence of his companion (one of the companions?) even more. But they never showed up to face him. Baekhyun tried everything - leaving notes (could they read?), leaving milk and cookies (it worked with Santa so maybe…), talking out loud about how delightful it was to live with a supernatural creature (too straight-forward?). Nothing helped.

Lost in thoughts, Baekhyun watered the tiny green sprout growing in the middle of his garden. He had no idea what this plant was. Frankly, at this point he wasn’t even sure if it’s a plant. “_ Nail the garden like a pro _” was not a guidebook he would recommend.

He was about to give up, lay down and rest when suddenly he heard the softest of creaks coming from the veranda. The watering can landed on the ground and Baekhyun froze waiting for a reaction. He could feel it. He could feel him. Again.

As slowly as he only could, Baekhyun turned his head to the left and looked over his shoulder. At first everything seemed perfectly normal - the windows were empty, no trace of weird faces hovering behind the glass, the yard was empty and door leading to his house were half opened.

“There you are…” Baekhyun whispered softly. 

_ Pale face, pale hair, grey clothes… _

The person standing in the doorway couldn’t possibly hear him. He was too far away. But he must know that Baekhyun was looking at him. And yet he didn’t twitch. Not this time. The ghost tossed his pale hair to the back and leaned against the door frame. Now, Baekhyun could be sure of one thing - there were two “ghosts” in this household.

Suddenly the ghost turned his head, clearly looking at something inside the house. Baekhyun’s heart started beating a little faster. Was it possible that both of them agreed that it was time for Baekhyun to meet them? His hands clenched into fists and he took a sharp inhale when the man in the doorway turned back to him. Maybe it was the sun or maybe it was the distance but it looked like he was smiling. It lasted only for a split of a second though. 

The ghost nodded delicately and stepped back into the house, letting the shadows of the hallways wrap his body and hide him from prying eyes.

Baekhyun let out the breath he was holding. He was prepared for what the future would bring. He was ready.

* * *

It was the middle of the night when Baekhyun felt something cold fanning his ear. He wrinkled his nose. The window should be closed... But maybe he forgot… His hand slipped across the bedsheets as he tried to force his body to get up. The cotton was smooth under his fingers, making him want to snuggle harder.

Suddenly something cold stroked his cheek, making Baekhyun flinch and involuntary squeeze his eyes. The touch however stilled only for a moment before the petting retrieved, followed by the most quiet laugh. The sound itself was enough to finally pull Baekhyun back on earth. His breath hitched and his muscles tensed. The reality was crashing at him with the speed of light and thousands of possible scenarios crossed his mind.

_His grandparent's house. Shadows that kissed his neck and cheeks. Eyes that bore into him whenever he wasn't looking._

“Relax, Baekhyun. Have I ever done anything to you?” someone asked in a hushed voice, “If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead by now.”

“Oh my god…” Baekhyun without opening his eyes. 

“What?” there was a lit of amusement in the question.

“Can’t we do it like normal people?” murmured Baekhyun quietly. It was hard to keep his eyes closed. Especially when the touch on his cheek was making him feel so excited, so full of both adrenaline and light. He had been waiting for this kind of conversation for weeks but so far it wasn't entierly going how he pictured it.

“It’s funnier this way.” his chuckle vibrated through the air. “Come on, open your pretty eyes. They say that you fear less, when you face your demons.“

It wasn't an order, merely an ask - a suggestion. And yet, Baekhyun wouldn't even dream of refusing. He had been sneaking a contact for too long. 

“I hardly believe that you're one of my demons.” replied Baekhyun, opening his eyes and absorbing the sight.

Everything was enwrapped in complete darkness and yet the person - the ghost - in front of Baekhyun seemed to glow. Maybe it was because of his white hair, maybe it was his bright eyes, maybe it was the fact that Baekhyun could focus only on him. He was so close. Close enough for Baekhyun to feel his breath on his skin. Close enough to smell resin in the air.

There were no horns, no tail, no wings - just a man who looked like a normal person but surely couldn’t be human.

“Hello.” His voice could easily be considered beautiful. Baekhyun considered it beautiful already.

“Hi.” squeaked Baekhyun. “I’m Baekhyun.”

Another chuckle and oh, _ surprise _, it made Baekhyun’s heart swell. 

“I know. You're Baekhyun and I’m Minseok.” replied Minseok, pulling the corners of his lips into a smile. “It’s a pleasure meeting you.” 

Baekhyun prompted on his elbows, letting stray strands of his hair fall on his forehead. He couldn’t help but feel a little bit vulnerable. Of course that Minseok knew his name - he probably knew Baekhyun much better than he was willing to reveal.

“Are you a ghost?” asked Baekhyun because it was time to properly classify Minseok. 

Minseok shrugged, “I’m a little bit of everything.” okay, maybe it _ wasn’t _ time to classify Minseok then. Maybe there were no words on this world and in this language to describe Minseok.

“Well then, should I expect you to start howling to the moon during the next full moon?” Baekhyun arched his eyebrow.

Minseok grinned widely, showing a row of white teeth. None of them was sharper or longer - noted Baekhyun. In fact, Minseok looked much less intimidating when he was smiling. His smile was like moonlight - gentle and unthreatening. Beautiful. Tempting and playful. Full of promises.

“I’m not the howling type. But I do occassionally make others howl.” well, that was hardly an answer that Baekhyun expected. Minseok drawed his hand back, leaving Baekhyun's skin colder than it was. The bed dipped slightly when Minseok sat on its edge. His smile didn't flatter even for a moment.

“Is there a reason for you to creep me out in the middle of the night?” Baekhyun blurted, trying not to stare too hard. Indeed, it seemed that Minseok was too solid for a ghost.

“You wound me,” Minseok gasped dramatically, “Here I come with my best intentions and this is the treatment I get in return? Terrible, traumatizing, I wouldn't recomment it to anyone.”

Baekhyun snorted. It didn’t escape his attention that Minseok was subtly dodging almost every question. It did hurt a little bit. While Minseok knew a lot about him, Baekhyun couldn’t say the same about the other. It was as thrilling as it was intimidating.

A puff of wind, ruffled Minseok's ghostly white hair and he snapped his head back. His eyes narrowed slightly as he scanned the room around them, gaze lingering on every shadow and stopped at every corner. His pupils were wider than earlier when he turned back. Baekhyun sat on the bed. They were close enoguh for Baekhyun to slip his hand over the expanse of Minseok's nap but he stopped himself before he did something he could regret in the future. Just because Minseok touched his cheek, didn't mean anything. It was better not to assume something hurtful or harmful.

“How many souls are living under this roof?” asked Baekhyun instead, watching carefully, waiting for a reaction.

Minseok frowned and quickly turned around to check if there's someone behind him. It was enough of an answer for Baekhyun. Implications of the expression were as clear as a tear. Minseok didn't appear startled by the thought of them not being alone. He was shocked by such a possiblity. Shocked not because it wasn't beyond any posibility but shocked because it was unexpected. And yet, despite all of that, he didn’t reply at instant. Hee took his sweet time to look out of the window and sigh heavily as if all the weight of this world was resting on his arms. He smoothed the corner of Baekhyun’s blanket and rolled his head from side to side. Observing him was like observing a shadow - every line was blurry and impossible to grasp.

“You should sleep, Baekhyun.” murmured Minseok at last, gently laying his hand on Baekhyun’s chest. It was as cold as Baekhyun remembered it to be.

“Sleep is for the weak. And you didn't answer my question.” said Baekhyun wrapping his fingers around Minseok’s wrist in an attempt to push him away. 

“I will answer this question when the time is right.” Minseok purred slowly, putting more pressure on Baekhyun’s chest and, as a result, pushing him until his back hit the mattress. For a long moment, Minseok kept his hand there - right over Baekhyun’s heart as if he wanted to feel the heartbeat. “Believe me, that we don't want to keep many secrets from you... Now, go back to sleep.” he whispered almost with affection.

Before Baekhyun recognized magic flowing through Minseok's touch - he slipped back into the darkness of his dreams.

The morning tasted bitter on Baekhyun’s tongue. Almost as bitter as coffee which he didn’t drink anymore. Minseok claimed to want to meet Baekhyun and yet he put him to sleep? Witchcraft. Magic. Vicious ploy.

Fucking_ supernaturals _.

Baekhyun had to wait three days to see Minseok again. 

* * *

Maybe Baekhyun should have expected their next meeting to be like this. Maybe he should have expected the lights to turn off at midnight. Maybe he should have expected the gush of cold wind to stroke his bare ankles. Maybe he should have expected the frigid breath of dread against his neck. Maybe he should have seen it coming on the full moon. 

The shadows in the room deepened, drawing long dark lines across the floor. The unthreatening figurine standing on the fireplace grinned at Baekhyun mischievously as he frantically looked for candles stocked in his room. 

Something echoed sadly behind his door. It took a lot of willpower and cursing out loud for Baekhyun to step out of his room. It was summer but the temperature in the house could have as well be only a couple of degrees above zero. In an attempt to warm up, Baekhyun wrapped his cardigan tighter, subconsciously hugging his own chest. The lamp flickered above his head, only to die out a second later. He raised his candle like a shield, suddenly grateful that he didn't have matches to light it up. 

The blood rushed in his veins, pushing him to step further. "I'm looking for the matches," he expleined to himself but nothing - not even the spider watching him from the above - believed him. There was something about being tip-toeing on the edge that made Baekhyun want to feel more exposed. White hair and almond-shaped eyes flashed in his head.

“Minseok? Are you there?” Baekhyun tired weakly.

The wind blew harder in response. Window at the end of the corridor rattled loudly. It seemed impossibly far away. A distance impossible to cover. Baekhyun braced his hand against the wall. It sang lowly under his touch. The more he listened - the louder the house grew. It felt as if it was howling, roaring and creaking all at once. For a moment, it even occurred to Baekhyun that someone was wailing or maybe crying. The sound turned his blood even colder.

“Get a grip, Baekhyun, and close the damned window,” he muttered under his breath.

Every step he took, was like a tiny needle piercing through his body. It didn’t hurt but it did intensify the unsettling feeling in Baekhyun’s chest. 

He was in the middle of the corridor when one of the doors in front of him opened with a loud bang. The torch fell out of his hands and rolled down the hall. All the sound that - until now - was confined in the room, slipped through the opened door. 

It wasn’t wailing nor crying. Someone was screaming in pain. Their throat must have been raw by now and the scream itself with both wet and dry, interrupted with ripped choking. The voice was building up until it was impossibly high-pitched only to drop seconds later. Almost as if someone was trying to say something but the pain was too much to force words through their throat. It was a scream that could rattle bones, freeze hot blood in the veins and wake up all of the dead hiding in the closets. Baekhyun’s lips started to tremble. No matter how hard he tried, he wasn’t able to recognize the voice or words.

Along with the scream, a stain of darkness spilled across the wooden floor of the corridor. It was growing in Baekhyun’s eyes, like a fog, like a fire, like a disease. It wasn’t simply a shadow - it was something more, it was alive - crawling further and further, reaching out its slick, black tentacles, trying to lure Baekhyun closer.

Minseok’s lips were pressed into a thin line and his irises as dark as the whisper of the night as he stepped out of the room. His whole posture was filled with a determination that wavered the moment he looked at frightened Baekhyun. The cry of pain coming from the room intensified and something akin to “min” echoed down the hallway. Something golden glistered in Minseok hand. His fingers were tightly wrapped at the object as if he was afraid of letting it go.

Baekhyun wanted to say something, anything, he even parted his lips and perhaps some words left his mouth but all of that was muffled with the raw cry coming from the room. Minseok's eyes shined with tears and he shook his head. With swift move, he closed the door shut, disappearing behind the thick wood and pulling the crawling agony back into the room.

The sound ceased as soon as it appeared. No matter how hard Baekhyun listened, all he could hear was the wind howling downstairs. 

There was not a chance that Baekhyun would go back to sleep after what he had witnessed. He wasn’t surprised when the lamp above his head turned on when he was walking downstairs to the kitchen. From the deepest corner of the shelf, he pulled out his emergency tin with coffee. He needed something to keep his mind sharp and awake. It was 3am when he drained the first mug. 

Two coffees later, Baekhyun didn’t even raise his head when Minseok slipped on the chair in front of him and gently took the mug out of his hands. It was still hot but Minseok did't even flinch. His fingertips were covered with the drops of white wax. Baekhyun didn't know if he wanted to ask about it.

“Go back to bed, Baekhyun.” murmured Minseok softly, tugging the sleeve of Baekhyun’s cardigan. His eyes were bloodshot and the smile he offered was as fake as it was broken.

Baekhyun wasn’t sure why he let Minseok drag him upstairs. His legs felt heavy and his lungs - too full. It was like floating and drowning at once.

Neither of them looked at the doors leading to Baekhyun’s grandmother’s room. Neither of them felt like reliving that horror. The noise was still fresh memory. Wet ink was still covering full of pain cries and creaks. Minseok pushed the door to Baekhyun’s bedroom.

“Can I sleep with you tonight?” he asked before they stepped inside.

“It’s as much of your house as it is mine.” Baekhyun replied. Because it was the right thing to do, because it was the truth, because he had been yearning for Minseok for days.

Minseok’s lips twitched in first genuine smile this night as he slipped under the covers. His cold hand rested on the top of Baekhyun’s chest. Despite the caffeine in his system, Baekhyun’s eyes started feeling heavy.

“Do you even sleep?” he muttered, fighting with the overwhelming fatigue.

On his side, Minseok chuckled. 

“I rest. That’s almost the same thing.” his hand gracefully slipped off his chest. Minseok wiggled a little bit closer, hesitantly letting his arm hook around Baekhyun's waist. They had never been this close and intimate. Hells, for Baekhyun it was the second time actually talking to Minseok. Still he couldn't bring himself to feel remorse as he pressed the line of his hipbone to Minseok's navel.

Cold breath tickled Baekhyun’s neck. It was easy to tilt his head and expose his throat. Minseok’s breath on the side became warmer or maybe it was just Baekhyun’s temperature that warmed up the air around them. There was a silent question hanging low, between them. 

“I hate night like this,” mumbled Minseok into Baekhyun's ear. "I feel cruel and disgusting and heartless but I have no choice if I want to keep them alive.”

Baekhyun's heart hammered against the ribcage. The words ringing in his ears reminded him of an opening of the greatest opera he had ever heard. 

“You're none of that.” he assured, trying to stop his voice from trembling.

Minseok prompted on his elbow and looked down at Baekhyun. “You can't know that. You hardly know me.”

And surely he had a point. Baekhyun didn't know much about Minseok. He didn't even know what he was - if there was a word for that. All he knew was that for weeks Minseok had been lingering behind his back and not even once did he raise his hand at Baekhyun. It was something that people didn't resist even for a second, when Baekhyun made his first mistake.

“I know enough to believe in that.” 

Their first kiss was chaste, hesitant and fearful as if they were afraid of each other. As if their gestures weren't enough of an indication for the feeling that formed between them. Baekhyun believed that he wasn't a reckless person. But the moment Minseok's lips met his own, he realized how irresponsible and unlike him, it was. Unlike him but also absolutely unavoidable. The moment he walked through the doors, he was meant to end up with Minseok's lips on his. They tasted like the coffee that Baekhyun hated but always found himself coming back for more.

Minseok's face hovered inches above Baekhyun's own before it leaned down again. This time sealing them for longer and more heated kiss. Both of them were already dizzy with the emotions, with the way their bodies moved against each other. 

“Usually they are not that loud, you know…” mouthed Minseok against Baekhyun’s skin, shaping the words one his neck. “It’s my fault, I neglected my duties for too long.”

“Duties.” Baekhyun echoed, pressing his neck to the cold lips, arching for more touch, drawing everything he could. Starting from Minseok's kiss and ending on his secrets.

Minseok’s hum vibrate through Baekhyun’s blood. The grip on Baekhyun’s waist tightened. 

“It was you. You broke the routine. The routine we had. It’s been a while since there was a human around.” Minseok explained chaotically. His cold nose travelled up Baekhyun’s neck, leaving the other gasping for air and affection.

“Will you tell me tomorrow?” the question was as delicate as the four-leaf clover growing in the garden. Baekhyun didn’t remember planting it. 

“I will.” the reply was as quick as a slash of a knife. Truth started blazing from the fresh gash, it was hot and smelt like iron and roses. Minseok kissed the corner of Baekhyun’s mouth. His hand rested back on his chest. “Sleep. I promise I will stay here.” 

* * *

“So who are you?” 

“I think the most fitting word would be a caretaker.”

“You take care of the house?”

Minseok lifted his head from Baekhyun’s chest. He was cold but it was keeping Baekhyun warm. It ensured him that what was happening was real.

“Yes and no,” Minseok hummed. “I take care of a certain part of this house.”

“The dollroom,” _ why hadn’t Baekhyun figured it out before? _

“The dollroom. Yes.” Minseok nodded.

Baekhyun pulled the cover up. Minseok claimed that he couldn’t feel that warmth but every time Baekhyun put an extra layer over him, his eyes were shining a little bit brighter adding to the golden lightness of the room. Like that - bathed in the morning’s sunlight - Minseok looked even more eternal. Not even one flaw or a hint of worry was staining his beautiful face. 

“Few weeks ago, I saw a man inside my room.” Baekhyun started slowly, “His lips were curled up in the corners and he looked like the spawn of the night herself...”

“That was Jongdae.” snarled Minseok as if it was obvious from the beginning.

“Jongdae.” Baekhyun repeated, imprinting the name in his memory. “Is he also the caretaker?”

Minseok shaked his head firmly, “There’s only one caretaker. Me. But Jongdae’s the only one that actually comes out from time to time. Other prefer to stay inside their vessels...” he stopped for a moment as if he had to consider if he was allowed to tell more, “He’s encouraged me to follow you around, you know? He said that you were really worth our attention. I just think that he developed a tiny crush on you.” Minseok giggled. The fact that it was him, not Jongdae, who was wrapped around Baekhyun, didn’t seem to bother him at all. Baekhyun deemed that it was a good sign. 

Although, the tenderness with which Minseok spoke of Jongdae didn’t escape Baekhyun’s attention. He quickly shoved it on the back of his brain as something to explore further later.

“Why didn’t he meet me like you did?” Baekhyun asked instead.

“Oh… Well, he’s a little bit shy.” Minseok smiled, widely. “But you never know when he’s watching. He’s somewhere out there… In the shadow of the tree outside, in the mouse’s nest under the flower, in the flowers in the vase. He keeps this place alive for you.”

Well, that was a new information.

“Would you tell him that I’d love to meet him, the next time you see him?” Baekhyun asked, tangling his fingers in Minseok’s white hair. It felt surprisingly light despite its thickness.

Minseok grinned widely.

“I’m pretty sure that he has just heard that himself.”

* * *

Baekhyun neatly parked the car in front of the veranda. Minseok couldn’t accompany him on the shopping. Apparently it was too far from the house to be safe. It was weird - spending time alone again. Ever since the eventful night, Minseok pretty much didn’t leave Baekhyun’s side, despite the other’s repetitive concerns if he wasn’t needed in the dollroom. 

“They tend to be calm after the full moon.” Minseok shrugged, beating Baekhyun’s ass in Mario Card. Baekhyun had no idea why, but he didn’t ask. Patience is the key when it comes to supernatural creatures.

There was only one thing that kept bothering him - he still hadn’t “officially” met Jongdae. Minseok kept reassuring him that Jongdae was very interested in Baekhyun but he “wasn’t ready”. Which was frustrating. Because even though Minseok used nothing but superlatives to describe Jongdae, Baekhyun would prefer to learn all those traits and quirks by himself. If he only was given a chance...

Sighing, with his hands full of paper bags, Baekhyun kicked the front door open.

“I’m home,” he yelled in general direction, carefully stepping into the kitchen. He was almost sure that he bought enough to feed the whole squadron. 

He put the bags on the table and glanced at the clock. He still had plenty of time to make some dinner and take a long, relaxing bath. His muscles had been aching, since the morning and a little bit of luxury never hurt nobody. Baekhyun gleefully eyes the galaxy-blue bath bomb, peaking proudly out of the bag. He hoped for it to smell as good as it looked.

“Baekhyun, you’re home earlier.” 

The corners of Baekhyun’s lips quirked up. He grew dangerously addicted to Minseok and his voice.

“Min-” Baekhyun swirled on his heel but words got caught up in his throat.

_ Stop the clock, make the time go back, give him another chance. _

If Minseok was mesmerizing, Jongdae's beauty was enough to make you feel scared and wary and on the edge of falling. His features were porcelain and delicate despite sharp cheekbones and dark eyebrows. Baekhyun had seen him only once before - during the stormy night, accompanied by the thunder and rain. In the light of a day Jongdae was still that - thunder in the middle of the night. The sharp-edged crack in the sky that makes you feel like falling. He was both the navy sky that promised adventure and the shadow under the tree that offered shelter. The only mismatched thing were his eyes - round and warm, a little bit shy, a little bit sly. Eyes of a child or their favourite toy.

“You’re one of the dolls.” Baekhyun uttered, because that much was clear. Jongdae’s fragile fingers were digging into Minseok’s shoulder. 

The curled corners of his lips twitched upwards, painting his face in the pretty shade of mischief. 

“It’s your eyes,” Baekhyun added helplessly. “They are…”

“Memorable?” provided Minseok with a faint smile dancing in the corners of his lips.

“Dead-looking?” Jongdae purred softly. 

Baekhyun shook his head. “They are too beautiful for a human.”

That startled a chuckle out of Jongdae. It sounded like pine cones being thrown into the fireplace - promising something fresh and new.

“I shall take that as a compliment even though my soul looks just like my old body.” Jongdae rested his chin in the crook of Minseok’s shoulder. “I gave my eyes to my doll.” 

Baekhyun felt his eyes widen. As much as he tried to understand Jongdae, he knew too little for any of his words to make sense.

“You’re confusing him, Jongdae.” sighed Minseok, reaching out to grab Baekhyun’s hand. The latter didn’t even fight the gesture, comfortably sliding his warm hand into Minseok’s cold. “I didn’t explain to him the details of our existence.”

Jongdae’s eyebrows furrowed for a moment, as his whole world had just been demolished with those simple words. His fingers dug harder into Minseok’s shoulder, they could break the skin any second.

“Are details that important?” he asked finally, tipping his head to the side and placing a chaste kiss on Minseok’s cheek. It was hard not to imagine how those lips would feel on Baekhyun’s cheek. How cold, how real, how wonderful, how.

“They are important then,” Jongdae nodded as if with the silence Minseok allowed a perfect explanation. “Let’s go to the dollroom then.” he beamed and stepped to the back. 

Everything about the way Jongdae moved was smooth and natural. The word horrifying was thrown straight to trash. Horrifying meant something that Baekhyun would fear of. But he felt no fear looking at Jongdae as his feet sank into the floor and the lower part of his body melted into grey shade of black. His fingers curled up on the railing and slid under the wood as if it was a warm blanket and he was about to fall asleep. His body and features were thinning in the air until there was nothing more than a faint shadow on the wall and the quiet chuckle in Baekhyun’s ears.

“He’s such a show-off.” Minseok sighed.

Baekhyun looked at his puzzled, “But I thought that he was shy.”

“He’s both.” Minseok shrugged and tug Baekhyun towards the stairs. “It may not look like that but Jongdae’s not good at people. He prefers dolls.”

Minseok and patted the railing. “I have no idea what made me fall in love with him.”

“Probably the lips.” blurted Baekhyun without second thought. As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt a blush cover his cheeks and the tips of his ears.

But Minseok only laughed in response and stopped to reward Baekhyun with a quick but deep kiss. The laugh revibrated through Baekhyun’s veins, making his dizzy.

“Probably the lips.” Minseok agreed, stepping away. His eyes stopped on Baekhyun’s mouth. “You can say that I just really like nice lips.”

Jongdae was already waiting at them in the dollroom. The sunrays were coloring his skin with the most delicate shade of gold. He wasn’t moving at all, just looking thoughtfully at the glassy cabinet on the wall. Perhaps it was just an impression but with half of his face hidden in the shadow he looked like someone who feared nothing but what he could do to himself.

“Finally,” he whispered at Minseok, his eyes fixed at the dolls in the cabinet. 

Baekhyun stepped closer, encouraged by the push on his back. Jongdae raised his hand and pointed at one of the dolls. Doll's eyes were closed and she looked as though she was sleeping. The doll next to her was sitting in a similar position.

“Look at them, Baekhyun.” Jongdae murmured. His lips were barely moving but somehow his words sounded nice and clear in Baekhyun’s ears. “Aren’t they beautiful together?” he asked, glancing briefly at his companions. 

“I don’t remember seeing them before.” Baekhyun commented, not sure where this conversation was heading. He walked closer to the glass. The dolls looked like they were sleeping.

“One of them is Jongdae’s doll.” explained Minseok. “It’s asleep when his soul is in the wake. Like right now.”

“The other one is yours, Minseok?” Baekhyun guessed, trying to find resemblance between the doll and the soul that inhabited it.

“Fair guess but no.” Minseok shook his head. “Caretakers don’t need dolls to live inside them. But they do need dolls with souls to take care of them. Caretakers comb dolls hair and make them presentable for the soul to live there comfortably.”

“It hurts like hell, but it's a small price for being able to live forever.“ Jongdae smiled lightly. “I'm still somewhat thankful for Minseok that he murmdered me without hesitation so that we could be together forever! Would you want to stay with us, Baekhyun? We'd make a find trio, don't you think?"

Absently Baekhyun nodded, keeping his eyes fixed at the dolls. So one had to die for his would to live in a doll? But apparently it could leave those tiny porcelain bodies if they pleased so? It made close to none sense. Baekhyun’s head was circulating as he tried to put the pieces into one picture. It was just as bad as the puzzles he found in the living room. He had yet to finish them. 

“Then whose the other doll?” he asked, glancing over his shoulder, trying to keep his mind occuppied.

Instead of seeing the room full of light and dolls, all that he saw was the dark of Minseok’s eyes filled with determination and something akin to bravery. Jongdae’s chin was - once again - resting in the crook of his shoulder. He was smiling angelically. Cold fingers gripped Baekhyun’s throat and tightened around it, making it impossible to draw in a breath. 

And though Baekhyun had never wondered how it felt like to suffocate, he had no doubt that it would be how his life ends. He didn’t fight it because he knew that he stood no chance. Minseok was stronger and knew exactly where to press his fingertips to make Bhis victim freeze. The last of Baekhyun’s attempts of drawing an air into his lungs, were just as painful as pathetic. 

The last thing he had registered was Jongdae’s lips pressing against his own. They were as smooth as glass and as metallic and copper. 

* * *

His limbs felt heavier than ever before. His lungs was as empty as his head. His fingers were as cold as Minseok’s.

Minseok’s? Minseok’s.

Baekhyun groaned lowly, trying to wiggle his toes. He tried screaming but the throat was still raw and all he could taste the blood in his mouth. 

His nerves were still in tatters and his heart was still full of bitter betrayal that he could still feel on his skin in the form of cold fingers. Somewhere in the back of his head, like shattered pieces of porcelain, Baekhyun saw the shadows of Minseok's almond-shaped eyes and Jongdae's curled up lips.

Something light and delicate touched his forehead and Baekhyun arched towards it. His spine popped audibly, letting the lungs in his chest expand and finally, _finally_, draw in some air.

"Shush, sleep, sleep our love." Jongdae muttered, running his fingers through Baekhyun's hair. His voice slipped into Baekhyun's heart like a lullaby, calming down his senses and slowing his no longer existing heartbeat. "You're still on the edge of the worlds and we want you back. You just need to focus."

Baekhyun tried smiling but his face was still a little bit of unfamilar ground for him. Just like months ago, his body naturally responded to the new presance. Only this time - instead of tensing, it relaxed more and more as Minseok strided closer to the place where Baekhyun's soul was resting.

"You need to let your soul slide into the doll we prepared for you," Jongdae explained, caressing the place were Baekhyun's heart used to beat. "It's newly tendered so you should be comfortable. Spend there a couple of days. Grow used to the idea. Mediate, think, ponder and come bacl..."

Baekhyun's consciousness latched forward, hectically looking for a place he could call "home". Something warm pulsated in front of him and almost naturally he let his soul slip into the safe space provided by dolls body. Far away in the distance, he heard Jongdae's chuckle and Minseok's delighted laugh.

He couldn't simply wait to join them.

**Author's Note:**

> Can you tell this is my first CBX- centered fic?  
Seriously I love CBX but I never dared to write a fic about that amazing ship... until now I guess!  
Honestly... this fic feels so rushed. So yeah, if you managed to get till the end - thank you from the bottom of my heart!
> 
> Also, now that I can say this out loud: this prompt happened to me out of surprise, I finished my first foc for this fest a little bit earlier and I was like "what the hell, imma write something more" and I did, oh boy, did I write... It took me took weeks and tbh? I think I did pretty good job, considering that I havent planned this earlier lmao!


End file.
